Courage in their Hearts
by Linali
Summary: Star Trek based fanfic, one scene's not child-appropriate, the rest is fine...until it gets gory later on..
1. Courage in Their Hearts

Courage in Their Hearts  
  
  
  
She stared up at the moon. Never before had it looked so inviting, so mysteriously welcoming. As the breeze blew strands of golden curled hair across her small face, she contemplated. The wind picked up; whipping her dark blue skirt around her strong ankles, and outlining the muscular build of her otherwise slight form. Years of soccer, velocity, and jogging had caused her to achieve her status of physical strength. She only wished it would help her help her captain make the decisions necessary. The woman pulled her seafoam-coloured sweater about her shoulders, and watched the stars as they twinkled ominously in the midnight sky. She sighed as reality seeped in and she remembered that this one only a simulation. Captain Bouvilla had recommended this particular simulation, knowing she needed some time to relax as much as he himself did. She sighed, there was no way she'd ever relax, not with the knowledge deep inside that none of this was real. She also knew that if she didn't do something soon, she could very easily drive herself into a state of mental instability. Her twin sister had been killed in a skirmish not two hours ago, and she needed to vent or risk emotional distress, and possible suspension from duty. As first officer, she had certain obligations to the crew, and one of them was to keep herself in such a condition as to be able to solve the problems that always arose on such occasions as when death ran rampant. "Computer, end program," her soft voice went almost undetected, and the computer took longer than it should have to shut the program down. She watched, full of remorse, as the holographic stars abruptly blinked from existence. She placed a trembling hand on her pale forehead as the familiar checkerboard pattern lined the walls once again, and found she was sweating profusely.  
  
"Commander?" a voice asked. The voice was unusually soothing, quite unlike its usual texture. The woman turned around,  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant Cala?" the other shifted uncomfortably,  
  
"I just.wanted you to know.I know how you feel." The commander's jaw almost dropped involuntarily,  
  
"You.you do?" she asked. Cala nodded,  
  
"Yes.but I'd rather not discuss it.I just want you to know you're not alone.and we all care, if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask, anyone on this ship will to anything you request."  
  
The commander was amazed. Cala had never been much along the lines of the perfect Starfleet officer, or the perfect woman, for that matter. Although she was shapely, and evidently attractive, by the way the male members of the crew responded to her, but she was also quite defensive. She was a loner, and kept much to herself. Only two people even bothered trying to break through Cala's defensive shell anymore, Captain Bouvilla and the helm driver. Cala also had an almost paranoia about the diamond shaped marks on her forehead, and the Bajoran-like ridges on the bridge of her nose. She seemed to think that everyone disliked her, and made it evident that if that was the case, the feeling was mutual. Her paranoia went past the xenophobia of her mother's people, which could be overcome, she feared everyone. And, evidently, she had right to. The commander almost thought she saw a faint smile pass over Cala's face, but dismissed it as a figment of her imagination. Cala hadn't smiled once since she came aboard not four months ago.  
  
"Thank you, Lieutenant, I appreciate that." The half Gaian woman nodded,  
  
"You're welcome," she said, and turned, almost running into Ensign Terane, the helm driver. He gave her a friendly smile, but she shied back. For some reason, Cala was more afraid of men than anyone else, even Terane whose friendliness and all around sweet personality had earned him the position of most popular crewmember within two days of him being posted. For all his popularity, he made it quite evident that it was Cala's approval he really wanted. He constantly showered her with his adorable smile, and complimented her frequently. For all his trouble, though, Cala still jumped every time he came near her. He smiled brighter,  
  
"Good day, how are you?" he said pleasantly. She shied back further, and gave the commander a frightened look; Denez tried not to laugh,  
  
"Hello, Ensign, did you need something?" she said, trying to ignore the science officer cowering to her right. Terane's brow furrowed, but he kept smiling,  
  
"Commander Denez, Captain Bouvilla would like you to report to his ready room.and you need to come too, Cala, he's arranging plans for an away team."  
  
The woman nodded, and motioned Terane to leave. Reluctantly, he tore his emerald eyes from the science officer and walked out the door. Denez turned her attention to Cala,  
  
"Why do you fear him so? He's the last person in the Milky Way who would possibly hurt you." Cala shook her head, and some of the strands fell out of the patterned chocolate coloured mass of hair,  
  
"I can not control my fear of men, or people for that matter. There are reasons, beyond Gaian xenophobia, for this. Perhaps one day I will tell you, but not now." Her voice took on a soft tone that spoke of unending pain to the commander, and Denez decided to stop the inquiry, at least for now, and joined the younger woman as she headed for the captain's ready room. In a second, Cala's amber eyes flitted to Denez, and there was a sort of understanding between them. Neither would tell Bouvilla about what had just passed. Bouvilla smiled at both of the women as they entered his ready room, his deep blue eyes sparkling with excited welcome. Running a hand quickly through his sandy blonde hair, he motioned them to their chairs,  
  
"Welcome, I was just getting started." Cala gingerly took her usual seat, which, not completely by chance, was right next to Terane's and Denez took her place next to the captain.  
  
"As I was saying, I believe this is an extraordinary opportunity, one we can't pass up." He continued, "The Delta Quadrant is a brand new frontier, and we shouldn't give up the opportunity to explore it."  
  
Cala nodded,  
  
"It would be a tremendous scientific discovery."  
  
"And we could meet new people," Terane agreed. The other senior officers also agreed, and Captain Bouvilla stood,  
  
"You realize the danger we may be in for? Starfleet can't protect us there, we'll be on our own."  
  
The Bajoran security chief nodded his head,  
  
"Of course, but we can take care of ourselves," he said, "the tactical status of our ship is better than any in the fleet, the Venturer can handle it."  
  
The chief engineer nodded her agreement,  
  
"And my crew can make a few modifications to improve it further."  
  
Bouvilla smiled,  
  
"All right, then lets get started," he said. They left the ready room, and sat in their posts on bridge. Bouvilla stood behind Terane, and smiled at Cala,  
  
"Set course for the Delta Quadrant," he told her, then put a hand on Terane's shoulder,  
  
"Engage."  
  
The stars on the viewscreen blurred as they entered warp and headed for the Delta Quadrant from which Voyager had returned not two years ago. Several hours later Denez, Cala, Terane, Lacour the chief engineer, and Kitak the Klingon man at Ops headed for the transporter room. Zilla, Lacour's seven- year-old daughter, stopped them on their way,  
  
"Mommy, be careful," she said. The young Trill had striven for the past year to seem more of a crewmember. She had studied in all categories, but it was obvious she mostly loved science. Lacour hugged her,  
  
"Don't worry, Zilla, we'll be back in no time, you'll see."  
  
Zilla eyed Cala adoringly. She looked up to the woman tremendously, but knew of Cala's fear of people. The half Gaian knelt down and hugged Zilla also,  
  
"Do not be afraid, it will be all right," she said, in the same tone she had earlier used with Denez. Zilla beamed,  
  
"Be careful, Ms. Cala, something doesn't feel right."  
  
Cala nodded and took the girl's warning to heart,  
  
"I will, I promise."  
  
Zilla left, and the group continued to the transport room, no one questioning the fact Cala was not afraid of the little girl. Denez closed her eyes, as she always did, once she was standing on the transporter pad. She tried not to vomit as her body dissipated into molecules, which rearranged on the planet surface. As she glanced around, she recognized the blurry figures of the away team, and saw Cala collapse just before she herself did.  
  
~~~~  
  
Terane awoke, and immediately sat up and vomited. His brain was working fuzzily, and his vision was still blurry, but he managed to locate Denez.  
  
"Commander what happened?" his speech was vaguely slurred. She smiled at him almost drunkenly,  
  
"I'm not positive.maybe Cala will know, she's the scientist." Terane probed the dark room of sleeping crewmembers for Cala's telltale diamond shaped markings, and tightly pulled up dark hair.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked. He heard a moan behind him, and heard the same person retch. He turned to see who it was. Her dark hair hung tangled around her porcelain-coloured face, all the way down to her waist. Muddy splotches marred her pale complexion, and a nasty cut was above one of her amber coloured eyes. Terane pushed a strand of hair away from her forehead, and saw the diamonds. For once, Cala did not jump back, she was too disoriented. He smiled groggily at her, "You're not afraid?" she gave him a confused look, then turned her head and vomited again. Then she turned back to look at him,  
  
"Did you want shomething?" She asked him, her speech more than a little slurred. Evidently, her smaller size had caused whatever had made them all pass out to effect her a bit more than the others. Terane nodded,  
  
"Do you have any idea what happened?" he asked her. She nodded weakly,  
  
"Ish ish gash.poishon.eh...shleeping gash." She slurred. Terane nodded,  
  
"Are you okay? You look terrible." He asked. She trembled a little, and shook her head,  
  
"Gaians.sleeping gas can be deadly to them.especially the kind they used, but since I'm half Bajoran it didn't kill me.I'll be okay."  
  
He still looked concerned, but turned back to Denez,  
  
"She says it's sleeping gas," he told her. She nodded,  
  
"Any idea where we are?" she asked.  
  
"A ship," Terane announced without hesitation, "It's definitely a ship.possibly a brig..." Denez nodded,  
  
"But how did we get here?"  
  
Terane's attention was diverted from the commander's question when he heard a thump behind him. He turned to see Cala out cold on the ground, and a large figure standing above her, his weapon's end facing her direction. The young Irish ensign could feel his anger heating up.  
  
"What did you do to her?" he demanded. The alien growled menacingly,  
  
"I wouldn't challenge me if I were you," he said in a watery voice,  
  
"That could invite injury, possibly death."  
  
"Oh is that what you did? You killed an innocent woman for talking?"  
  
The alien smacked him across the face, and his cheek stung as though doused in acid. Denez stood,  
  
"I would appreciate if you tell me why you did that, and what we're doing here, wherever here is."  
  
The alien moved towards her, and Kitak moved to her side protectively. It emitted a noise from where Terane assumed was its mouth that sounded like a train at full speed. Denez cupped her hands over her ears, and Terane could hear Cala scream with pain in her sleep. The helm driver assumed the noise was a laugh.  
  
"I come only to bring food, I do not need to answer your questions." The alien said, and set a tray down that Terane could have sworn wasn't there a second ago. It left without saying anything more. Terane rushed over to Cala, who was still clutching her forehead in agony. The diamonds usually only magnified soft sounds, but had evidently malfunctioned and magnified the alien's laugh. She sat up gingerly, still in obvious pain,  
  
"That hurt," she commented emphatically. Terane nodded,  
  
"Are you all right?" Cala shied away a little,  
  
"Yes." She said defensively. Terane sighed; she was back to her old self. Denez motioned them over to her, Lacour, and Kitak,  
  
"Come and eat, we need to keep our strength up."  
  
Cala timidly yet obligingly walked over and accepted the dish of blue fungi- like food she was given, then sat down. Terane followed suit, and soon the entire away team was gathered in a circle, eating.  
  
"Cala, please excuse my curiosity, but you said you knew how I felt. As far as I know you do not have a twin sister who died. What did you mean?" Denez inquired. Even Cala's diamonds turned pale.  
  
"It is a long story.to tell it, I would have to tell you much about my life." Her voice was almost a whisper. Terane gave her an encouraging smile,  
  
"I'd love to hear more about the mysterious but beautiful Chief Science Officer," he told her. Cala remained pale. If the comment on her beauty flattered her any, she didn't reveal it. Denez nodded,  
  
"I agree, it's part of my job to be familiar with my crew.and I'll tell you my life story afterwards." She offered. Cala took a deep breath, her long slender fingers still hovering over the diamonds, though she no longer seemed in agony.  
  
"All right." Her voice was still no more than a whisper. She still looked terrified of her past, and the prospect of dredging up all those memories. Terane cautiously put a hand on her shoulder, expecting her to jump away, but instead she moved closer, seeking his support. Delighted, but still careful, he put his arm across her shoulders, and she once again began to talk,  
  
"I never knew my parents," she started,  
  
"They were both put in Cardassian prison camps shortly after I was born. My grandmother raised me." 


	2. Cala's story

Here is the next part, the reason for the PG 13 rating will become apparent during this one…  
  
Her nose twitched with delight,  
  
"Blueberries, grandma?" she asked excitedly. The old woman's smile deepened the creases around her small mouth, and caused even more wrinkles to become visible,  
  
"Yes, Aimee, blueberries, I know how much you love them." The six year old squealed with pleasure and hugged her grandmother around the old woman's ample waist,  
  
"Oh thank you, Grammy! Is it a special occasion? I know it's not my birthday, is it?" the old woman shook her head,  
  
"No, I just thought you like some." Once again, Aimee hugged her grandmother,  
  
"And later we're going to go visit one of my good friends I haven't seen in a long time." The little girl bounced happily around the kitchen, her amber eyes dancing excitedly, and short, chocolate hair bobbing around her small chin. She hopped on one foot by the stove,  
  
"Yay! Yay! Going to see a friend!" The older woman laughed gently,  
  
"You're such a delightful little girl," she said, touching the diamond shapes on Aimee's forehead softly. The little girl wrinkled her nose, making the slits on it more prominent,  
  
"That tickles!" she said. Her grandmother laughed again, and handed her a plate of blueberry klek,  
  
"Here you go, eat up, then we'll go visit my friend.  
  
"Is it far?" Aimee asked between mouthfuls. Her grandmother shook her head,  
  
"Not too far, the shuttle should get us there in a few hours, maximum."  
  
"It's off-planet, then?"  
  
"Yes, we're going to Terra."  
  
Aimee could feel her excitement peak,  
  
"We're going to Terra?" she asked excitedly. The woman nodded.  
  
"Oh Grammy, what fun!" her grandmother nodded again,  
  
"Hurry up and eat so we can go."  
  
Aimee downed her klek in a record five minutes, and bounced eagerly in the hallway, waiting for her grandmother to get her coat on, then dashed out the door and into the hovercraft waiting. The hovercraft would take them to Raeth, the only city that was able to launch spacecraft on Gaia. Aimee stared out the window, almost jumping out the same window from anticipation. She felt energized beyond belief. When the hovercraft stopped, she charged out and raced inside the spaceport, dragging her grandmother behind her. She stopped short once she got through the spaceport doors. She was standing in a massive building. The spaceport made her grandmother's teron look like a dollhouse. Everywhere she looked there were people. Women in business suits and long hair pulled up above he diamond shapes on their foreheads carried briefcases as they rushed to catch a shuttle or ship. Men sat at tables in front of restaurants, checking their watches every once in a while and then going back into the headed discussion with their coworkers. Men carried suitcases to check in table, and women chased after stray children. The huge amount of people almost overwhelmed Aimee, and for a second, she felt lost. But her grandmother squeezed her hand and led her to one of the check in tables,  
  
"Hello, we need to catch a flight to Earth," she said. The woman at the table smiled, quickly touching the diamond shapes on her forehead, then getting out a piece of paper and checking it,  
  
"It's due in ten minutes, station one," she told them,  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Desiree Cala." Aimee's grandmother answered. The woman nodded,  
  
"All right, go ahead, you've been logged as having taken the flight to San Francisco, if anyone asks, I'll let them know." Aimee's grandmother smiled and thanked the woman, then led her away. Flying in a shuttle was like nothing Aimee had ever done before. She couldn't even begin to describe the feeling, except the nausea she felt when it first took off. She stared out the window, watching the stars zoom by. For a minute, she almost fainted from dizziness, then her body adjusted to the high-speed movement, and she let out and exhilarated whoop,  
  
"This is great, Grammy!" she yelled. The old woman smiled serenely,  
  
"I'm glad you're enjoying it," she stated softly. Aimee smiled and went back tot the window, drinking in the sight of the tiny golden orbs sailing through a black sea of space. Though disappointed the trip was over; she felt bubbles of excitement rise in her stomach as the Indigo docked. She couldn't wait to meet Grammy's friend. Such visits weren't common and Grammy's friends tended to be interesting, which always left her disappointed when they had to leave, and eager with anticipation to meet another of these interesting people. She felt it to be a special treat, and usually stayed on her best behavior hoping to convince her grandmother to take her to see someone new. As Grammy led her out of the shuttle, a tall man stood up and headed over to them. His hair was blond, but starting to gray, and he had gentle brown eyes. From the way he stood, he was obviously an important man. He wore a black jumpsuit with red across his shoulder and on down to his waist. On his chest, just over where his heart would be was a triangular shaped object with a circle surrounding it, and on the collar of the jumpsuit were four shiny button-like objects. Aimee was fascinated by what was evidently a uniform. It looked like a very impressive group that he was part of, and she decided in that instant that she would become part of that group when she was old enough. He smiled warmly and hugged Aimee's grandmother,  
  
"Desiree Cala! It's so nice to see you again!" he said, obviously pleased to see her. She smiled and motioned to Aimee,  
  
"And this is my granddaughter, Aimee Cala." He knelt down to look her in the eyes,  
  
"Hello, Aimee, I'm Owen Paris…you can call me Owen since you're one of Desiree's."  
  
Aimee smiled shyly, and pointed to the triangle shaped object,  
  
"What's that?" she asked. He smiled,  
  
"That's my communicator…you know your grandmother helped me earn that. Many years ago, she taught me. She was always my favourite teacher…anyway, she always believed in me, and I made it through the academy after that living on her faith. I couldn't let her down." Aimee's grandmother smiled,  
  
"You could never let me down, Owen, you were always my favourite student…of course, that didn't change how much homework you had to do. And look where you're at now! An Admiral in Starfleet! I knew you'd become something important. You're a very special man."  
  
He smiled,  
  
"Come, Mrs. Cala, let me introduce you to my family." He motioned to a small group of people sitting nearby,  
  
"My wife, my two daughter, Moira and Kathleen, and my son, Tom…he's my youngest." Aimee's grandmother smiled,  
  
"I see…Aimee, come say hi to them." Aimee shyly stepped forward and smiled,  
  
"Hello." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Moira smiled and stepped forward, offering a hand for Aimee to shake,  
  
"I'm Moira, it's nice to meet you, Aimee…Are you Bajoran? You've got the marking on your nose…" she said as the little girl shook her hand. Aimee nodded,  
  
"I'm half Bajoran, half Gaian."  
  
Moira grinned,  
  
"Neat! You're the first Gaian I've ever met! Is that why you have those funny diamonds on your forehead?"  
  
Aimee nodded. Kathleen and Tom made no move to greet her, preferring to stick to their mother's side. Aimee's grandmother smiled down at her,  
  
"How would you like to stay on Earth?" she asked. Aimee smiled,  
  
"Could we?" she asked excitedly. Her grandmother nodded,  
  
"We sure could." And the little girl threw her arms around the old woman's neck,  
  
"Oh thank you, Grammy!" she shrieked happily.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Leave me alone!" sixteen year old Aimee Cala yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks,  
  
"I don't want to study today!"  
  
"Aimee…" Owen began, but her grandmother stopped him,  
  
"Aimee, does this have anything to do with the school dance tomorrow night?" the old woman asked. Aimee's jaw dropped, how did she knew about the dance? Aimee knew she hadn't told her grandmother. Her grandmother's soft voice once again came through the door,  
  
"Open the door, sweetheart, let's talk about it."  
  
"No!" Aimee yelled,  
  
"I don't WANT to talk about it! I want to forget about it!" she could hear her grandmother sigh resignedly,  
  
"All right, Aimee, but if you decide you do need to talk I'll be right here."  
  
"Me too, Aimee, I intend to get you into Starfleet with a healthy mind and a good sanity level."  
  
Aimee was too upset to recognize the joke besides; she wasn't feeling very humorous today. She remembered what had happened that had brought her to this point. She had never cared much for members of the opposite gender. Guys were always so immature and inconsiderate of other's feelings, but she had decided that the dance might be fun. Since she was usually ignored at school, she was able to watch the others more. She didn't think she'd have too much trouble getting one of the boys to go with her. Most of the girls her age were going through all sorts of growth spurts, and their bodies weren't evenly proportioned yet. She, on the other hand, grew all around the same amount, so her legs were in equal proportion to her arms and body, and she had noticed the glances she had gotten from most of the boys lately. She could tell they had found her attractive. The girls, on the other hand, seemed to be getting colder. They spoke to her less even than they used to, and would often respond to her questions with annoyed retorts. So she had given up and retreated to the background once again. That morning she had decided to ask David Morel to go with her. He wasn't perfect, but he was cute, and had a good personality, so he would be fine. During break for lockers she had approached him shyly and asked if he was going to the dance with anyone. He smiled and pushed a strand of pale brown hair behind his ears, emerald eyes sparkling,  
  
"Well…no…I wasn't sure if I was even going to go…" he stuttered, watching her curiously. Aimee tried not to look disappointed,  
  
"Oh…" she said, but he smiled again,  
  
"But…well…if you'd go with me…well, that would be nice…I'd like that." His words were uncertain, as though he couldn't believe he was actually asking. Aimee couldn't contain her excitement,  
  
"Really? You'd go with ME?" she asked. He nodded,  
  
"Of course I would! You're only the envy of every girl in school…I know guys who have been trying for weeks to get up the courage to ask you…besides, I think you're cute."  
  
Aimee blushed,  
  
"Really?"  
  
He nodded vigorously,  
  
"And beautiful."  
  
Aimee spent the entire rest of the day walking on clouds. Until lunch. During lunch, she got out the klek her grandmother had made her out and took a bite, savoring the apple taste of it. She then stopped suddenly as she heard the girls sitting at the table behind her snicker at her, then lower their voices to a point where they thought she wouldn't hear, but her diamonds picked up on it,  
  
"Did you hear about her and David Morel? I wonder how much she paid him." The one girl said. The other tried not to laugh too hard,  
  
"I know! She's so ugly! I mean, those stupid diamonds and her ugly nose!" she giggled,  
  
"I bet she's paying him a lot!" Aimee couldn't control the tears that poured down her face. She only wanted to be nice. As she ran out the door of the cafeteria to the bathroom, she heard a voice, David's voice call out her name, but she didn't stop because she didn't want him to see her cry.  
  
"That was cruel," she heard a girl say as she walked into the bathroom,  
  
"Those two are idiots, I like Aimee Cala, I think she's really nice."  
  
"Yeah right, that girl's a freak, Riasa, you know that." The girl she was talking to said. Aimee could hear Riasa's hair move as the girl shook her head,  
  
"You're wrong about her, everyone is…I mean, I'm a Trill, why don't you think I'm a freak?"  
  
"Because you're not, that's different." Aimee left the bathroom, tears still streaming down her face, this wasn't helping much. She made it through the rest of the day without incident, and luckily didn't have any of the two classes after lunch with David. She dashed home in tears, slamming the doors and locking the one to her room after her. And that was where she was now. She was sure David would have heard the rumors by now, and would never want to speak to her again. As she lay on her bed, her pillow over her head to muffle the sounds of her crying, she heard the doorbell ring, and her grandmother answer it.  
  
"Hello, young man," she heard her grandmother say,  
  
"If you're looking for Aimee I'm afraid you can't speak to her right now, she's very upset and has locked herself in her room."  
  
"If I could, ma'am," the boy answered,  
  
"I'd like to talk to her…even if it is through her door."  
  
Aimee heard the door shut and footsteps stop in front of her room,  
  
"Aimee, there's a young man here to see you, come out and talk to him."  
  
"I already told you, I'm never coming out!" Aimee yelled.  
  
"Aimee…" the boy said. It was David,  
  
"Aimee, please, I need to talk to you."  
  
Reluctantly, Aimee removed the pillow and walked over to the door,  
  
"David…I can't believe you came over here…"  
  
She opened the door, expecting him to break up with her right then. He smiled at her, brushing her hair out of her eyes,  
  
"You're even beautiful with your eyes all puffy from crying," he said. He put his arms around her, and she cried into his chest for a few minutes, then lifted her head,  
  
"I didn't think you'd ever want to talk to me again."  
  
She said. He looked hurt,  
  
"You don't think I meant what I said? Aimee, you're beautiful, and you're the sweetest girl I know. Sometimes I wonder if your parents had sugar in their blood. I don't care what everyone else thinks, only what you do…" He let his voice trail off, and Aimee could feel the tears coming back,  
  
"You really mean it?" she asked tearfully. He nodded,  
  
"I've liked you since you moved here…of course, then I thought girls had cooties…but I still thought you were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen."  
  
She once again rested her head on his chest,  
  
"Thank you," she said. After all she had been through, she had felt ignored, and shunned. They had never made fun of her in front of her, but her keen senses helped her pick up on the things they said behind her back. She tried to ignore them, but knew she couldn't. After the dance, the insults didn't stop, but David defended her with a vengeance. He even went so far as to break one boy's leg when he made fun of her. Aimee felt safe and protected for the first time since she had moved there. David took her to all the dances and to holomovies on the weekend. Gradually, the young half Gaian came to realize that she didn't need to worry anymore, David would take care of her. He would be there for her, watch out for her, and defend her. They studied together under Owen Paris' careful supervision, and both passed the entrance exam to Starfleet academy. David continued to be her constant support and the first two years of the academy whizzed by in no time. Aimee found herself wondering where all the time had gone.  
  
~~~~  
  
Cala stopped talking and looked around,  
  
"This next part is the hardest for me to talk about…I know you think I avoid people because I'm Gaian and therefore xenophobic, but this is the real reason I'm afraid…and men especially."  
  
She looked at Terane, whose arm was still across her shoulders,  
  
"You scared me the most…your eyes are exactly like David's…and looking into them makes the pain worse…and of course, after I tell this next part you'll know why that's so bad…and why I fear men."  
  
Terane squeezed her shoulders,  
  
"I understand, lass," he said, his voice accented softly with Irish.  
  
"It was a cool spring day, like the one before, and David and I decided to go out in a shuttle for a bit, he needed to put in some practice time anyway, since he was studying to become a helm driver."  
  
~~~~  
  
As they embraced, he suddenly scooped her up in his arms. She laughed delightedly as he carried her into the shuttle and set her down in the copilot's seat,  
  
"Soon," he said,  
  
"As soon as we graduate, I'll carry you across the threshold of our new house, instead of carrying you into the shuttle."  
  
Aimee beamed,  
  
"And then we'll manage somehow to get stationed on the same ship?" she asked.  
  
"Hopefully, or if not, we could always meet at the house whenever we can get leave." He plopped down in the pilot's seat and they took off. As he guided the sleek shuttle through space, she watched happily out the window, recalling the wonderful day when she had first come to San Francisco on a shuttle not much different from the one she and David were flying in now. Suddenly, Aimee spotted a ship on the viewscreen,  
  
"David, What is that?" she asked. He smiled,  
  
"Probably just a patrol ship, let's hail them to let them know we're just out on a practice run."  
  
Aimee nodded, but her stomach churned with uncertainty, her instincts telling her something was wrong. As David hailed the ship, she felt herself disperse into molecules. When she awoke her throat was parched, and her vision blurry. Obviously she had been transported somewhere, and not by a very good transporter. Attempting to stand up, she found her wrists shackled, and also found that she was sitting on a bed of some sort,  
  
"David?" she called out hoarsely. She heard a rustling noise,  
  
"Aimee? Thank goodness you're all right!" she heard David's voice. Aimee sighed with relief and pulled on her chains,  
  
"David, I can't move, my hands are shackled." She said. She heard jangling,  
  
"I know, Sunshine, me too," he said,  
  
"I've been trying to find a way out since I woke up. They have really bad transporters, I noticed…whoever they are…anyway, it's rather difficult…just try to stay sunny."  
  
So she did, singing an ancient Gaian chant to keep her spirits up. As the melody wove around them, through the dark cold air, the door opened and one of their captors walked in. Aimee had seen pictures of them in Starfleet texts only. Their evil glares, snake-like heads, and green scaly skin made them look sinister. This one brought a chill through Aimee's body and she stopped singing.  
  
"No no, my pretty," he said, his voice sensual and soothing, but still evil to the young half Bajoran,  
  
"Don't stop, I only came in to hear it better. You have a lovely voice, my dear."  
  
His compliments made her stomach turn to ice. These were the people who had taken her parents from her. She may not have been one of the popular girls at school or the academy, but she wasn't naïve. She could tell what he wanted, and wasn't about to give it to him,  
  
"I was tired of singing anyway," she mumbled by way of excuse. When the Cardassian had walked in the lights had turned on, and Aimee could now see David. His lips were cut and bleeding, and there was a bruise over one eye, but his green eyes still sparkled as they studied her. Then, satisfied that she hadn't been injured, he directed his attention to the Cardassian,  
  
"What do you want with us?" he demanded protectively. The Cardassian smiled, sharp pearly white teeth flashing,  
  
"With you, nothing, it's Ms. Cala we're after," he said. Now David got even more protective, sensing the other's intentions,  
  
"You won't get away with this, Starfleet will track you down."  
  
The Cardassian hit David with the butt of his gun,  
  
"Silence, prisoner!" he said.  
  
"David!" Aimee called out. He looked softly at her, his eyes conveying hidden messages of love and reassurance,  
  
"I'm all right," he said. The Cardassian laughed maliciously,  
  
"For now anyway," he moved over to Aimee and released her from the shackles, grabbing her arm firmly,  
  
"Come now, pretty one, Gul Maru wants to speak with you."  
  
His tone suggested that talking probably wasn't the first thing that would happen. Aimee glanced back at David as she was pulled from the room,  
  
"I love you!" she called. He smiled,  
  
"I love you too, Sunshine," he said, attempting to mask his fear for her. The Cardassian snickered, but said nothing, and continued to drag her towards the place where Gul Maru evidently was. Two Cardassian guards were standing outside the room, and the one leading her stopped,  
  
"This is Aimee Cala, Gul Maru requested her presence."  
  
The guards eyed her, but moved aside, allowing them to enter. As they walked in, Aimee noticed that she was no longer wearing her Starfleet cadet uniform. She was now wearing a pale yellow dress, a very revealing one at that, and her hair was piled delicately on top of her head. Another Cardassian man approached them, eyeing her seductively,  
  
"Ah, Ms. Cala," he said. Aimee suddenly felt the urge to try and discourage this disgusting man from his intention,  
  
"Mrs. Morel, actually," she lied, hoping that if he though she was married it would deter him. He laughed,  
  
"Not for long, soon you be mine and he'll be…dead."  
  
Aimee fought back tears. She couldn't let him see that he'd upset her. Bajorans would never give in to Cardassian, just as her parents hadn't really. The resistance would continue, and, although only half Bajoran, Aimee would not let him win either. He dismissed the other Cardassian, who locked the door behind him, and Gul Maru moved closer to her,  
  
"There's no point in resisting me, you have no where to go." He said. Aimee could feel the ice in her stomach harden, and forced herself not to vomit as the Cardassian put his hands on her shoulders, massaging them much too hard for her taste,  
  
"There there, little beauty, it wont be as bad as all that, and if you're good I'll consider letting your little boyfriend live."  
  
Aimee held herself in as he moved his hands down further, and began to unbutton the back of her dress, kissing her neck. She jerked away and the flimsy dress tore, falling about her ankles. Gul Maru pounced quickly, wrapping his arms around her small waist,  
  
"No you don't," he whispered in her ear,  
  
"I'll get what I want from you no matter what."  
  
His voice made her skin crawl, and she tried again to pull away, but that seemed only to increase his determination and one hand slipped down to her buttocks. She squealed disgustedly as he put his lips on her and pulled her even closer. The Cardassian chuckled at her screams,  
  
"Soon enough you will get used to it…maybe even like it," he said,  
  
"As long as I keep you away from those who want to kill you because of your parents…you're all mine to play with. That's right, little Cala girl, you're my sex toy now!" He began to remove his own clothing while still keeping his grip on her. Suddenly, the door burst in and David rushed in. Although he had never seen her unclothed, he barely seemed to notice as he picked her up, wrapping a blanket around her, and carried her to a waiting shuttle, the Cardassian guards right on their tail. As he set her down he looked her in the eyes,  
  
"If I don't come back in five minutes, leave without me," he stated. Aimee opened her mouth to protest, but he put a finger against her lips,  
  
"Promise me you will." He demanded. Reluctantly, she did. They shared a long kiss, and he exited the shuttle to deter the Cardassian guards. Aimee waited an hour before she tearfully admitted to herself that he wasn't coming back and maneuvered the shuttle away from the Cardassian ship. As it exploded, she knew that she had lost David forever, a pain she would never forget. 


	3. Leesara

Cala looked at the others through misty eyes, and found that most of the others had tears in their eyes as well,  
  
"When I got back to the academy, I constantly had flashbacks of Gul Maru raping me…that's what he did, though he didn't get as far as he would have liked. Anyway, since then every time I see a man, the memory comes back and frightens me," she looked at Terane, and could feel the tears cascading down her mud-streaked cheeks,  
  
"You look so much like David…it's like reliving a nightmare all over again…I know you thought it was something I had against you, but really it's because I'm afraid."  
  
Terane looked back at her, tears glistening in his eyes, which were filled with care and understanding. He bent down and hugged her gently,  
  
"It's going to be all right," he said. Denez's eyes opened wide as he hugged Cala,  
  
"Terane! What's gotten into you?" she demanded. Then she watched in amazement as Cala wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back,  
  
"Thank you, Terane…I know I've been cold to you…and I'm sorry, you deserve better…I'm just so afraid..."  
  
He smiled,  
  
"Then how come you're letting me hug you?"  
  
She smiled back, the first time Denez had ever seen her smile, and it was beautiful,  
  
"I guess…I'm not afraid of you anymore…letting it all out helped," she yawned. He smiled,  
  
"I'm glad…it helped us too, it's easier if you understand."  
  
Lacour spoke up,  
  
"I think Zilla understood," she said, her icy pale blue eyes staring deftly into space,  
  
"I think she knew this would happen, too." They all turned to look at her,  
  
"Are you all right, Seizanna?" Denez asked her. The chestnut haired Trill nodded,  
  
"Fine, Julia…except I'm afraid for Zilla."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes…I think she's developed telepathic powers…and that could be dangerous."  
  
"Wouldn't Jeza help? She is her aunt after all."  
  
"Yes, but she's away on Betazed, I had to leave Zilla with Nikola." Denez smiled,  
  
"Don't worry, she'll be fine, Nikola wouldn't let anything happen to your daughter."  
  
"I know…but I still worry, she's only six…"  
  
Terane smiled,  
  
"She may be young, but she's smart, she can handle herself."  
  
Denez smiled back and pointed to Cala,  
  
"Right." Terane looked down at the half Gaian and smiled, watching her sleep peacefully. Her cheeks were stained with tears, there were still dirt smudges, and he suspected they'd have to find some water soon to clean her cut,  
  
"I guess you'll have to tell us your story tomorrow,"  
  
He whispered,  
  
"She's the one you promised to tell the story to."  
  
Denez smiled,  
  
"You're right, actually, I think Lieutenant Cala has a good idea, we should rest now while we can."  
  
Terane nodded,  
  
"Go ahead, I'll stay up and keep watch…not like I could sleep anyway, not with her in my lap, I don't want to wake her."  
  
Denez smiled understandingly,  
  
"All right." She stretched, and lay down with her head on her hands,  
  
"Good night Seizanna, Kitak, Ensign Terane." She said, yawning before closing her eyes. Lacour too lay down, but her eyes remained open as she stared into space. Kitak stood up,  
  
"I will return," he said, and headed off into the darkness. Terane shrugged and looked over at Lacour, whose eyes were closed now, then back at Cala, watching her sleep.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kitak was restless. Klingons didn't like imprisonment. Most would rather die. When he woke up, he had considered suicide, but had found that he couldn't, because they had taken all his weapons. Upon further consideration, he decided it was a bad idea anyway, because it would leave Denez and Lacour unprotected. Terane, he knew, would watch Cala, but the other two he accepted as his responsibilit.  
  
He looked around, his eyes adjusting slowly to the dark. It had been mch too long since his last night-time hunting simulation. As his eyes focused, he noticed there were other people in the room. Most huddled in groups of four or five, miserable looks on their faces and spoke in hushed voices. One girl sitting alone, watched him curiously with mysterious yellow eyes. Her black hair hung straight across her shoulders, and on down to the middle of her back, surprisingly not tangled, for she looked as though she'd been there for quite some time. Her arms were wrapped around her as she huddled against the wall, as though it was colder than it really was. Kitak cautiously made his way over to her,  
  
"you look like you've been here a while," he commented, his voiced hushed, although because he was a Klingon, it was still pretty loud. She nodded, her eyes darting frightenedly around the room as he approached her,  
  
"I was wondering if you would be willing to share our knowledge with me," he inquired. The girl couldn't have been older than nineteen. She gazed up at him, and her yellow eyes and pitiful look seemed to bore into his soul,  
  
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," he said, tentatively sitting next to her. She watched him carefully, yellow eyes still endlessly curious,  
  
"What makes you think I can help you?" she asked. Her voice was soft,and even he with his warrior senses wanted to hear more of her fluid, honey- like voice.  
  
"You seem to know what's going on more than the rest of us."  
  
He said, lowering his voice more so she wouldn't find him intimidating.  
  
"I do know more," she said plainly, her voice still soft.  
  
"Could you tell me what you know?"  
  
"I don't know you, or what you are for that matter, how do you expect me to trust you?" her voice was calm, and still barely more than a whisper as she shivered violently for a few seconds. Kitak understood her meaning.  
  
"My name is Kitak, I'm from Qo'nos of the Klingon Empire.I work at the Operations console on the Federation starship the USS Venturer. Are you from a desert planet?" he asked. She shook her head,  
  
"No, I'm not, what made you think that?"  
  
"Your lips are turning blue,and you're shivering like mad, I though maybe you came from a desert planet and that's why you were cold... I know I am."  
  
Klingons had always disliked the cold, coming from a warm planet, but refused to show it because of pride. She smiled vaguely, teeth chattering,  
  
"No, I'm Saurusine, we're the lizard people...because I'm cold blooded, I'm freezing."  
  
He nodded, and took off his Starfleet issue jacket, adjusting the purple short sleeved shirt beneath. He then placed the jacket around her shoulders and helped her to stand,  
  
"Come sit with us, my commanding officer has a thermal heater that she set up, you'll be warmer there." She looked at him, adoration in her shining yellow eyes,  
  
"Why are you helping me? No one ever cared before." she said, mystified. He smiled, revealing sharp pointed white teeth that made his smile almost vicious,  
  
"I am Starfleet, it is a part of who we are to help others." he said, assisting her as she walked and guiding her to where Terane was sitting with Cala still asleep in his lap, the thermal heater in the middle of the circle Denez, Lacour, and the pair made. Kitak motioned to the sleeping figures,  
  
"My commanding officer, Commander Julia Denez, the chief engineer, Lieutenant Commander Seizanna Lacour, the chief of science, Lieutenant Aimee Cala, and the only one still awake is the helm driver, Ensign Scott Terane."  
  
Terane nodded in gretting, and the girl bent down to one knee in front of the sleeping half-Gaian.  
  
"You work with divinity?" she questioned him, awestruck. Kitak shook his head,  
  
"No, she's not divine, she's the chief science officer."  
  
he said, confused. She looked up at him, adoration growing,  
  
"But she is of the divine race...that means you too mst be a god!" she bowed her head respectfully. He put his hand under her chin and tenderly lifted it to look her straight in the eyes,  
  
"I am not a god, and neither is Lieutenant Cala or anyone else here," he told her. She nodded,  
  
"All right, she said, pulling his jacket closer around her small body. It was so large on her that the skin tight bluish-green bodysuit she wore barely showed beneath it,  
  
"If I may ask...how old are you? and what is your name?"  
  
Kitak inquired. She smiled softly again, leaning against him when he sat down next to her,  
  
"My name is Leesara, and I am twenty-two years old." she said. His eyes opened wider, he could have sworn she was just a child, no more than eighteen or nineteen,  
  
"Well Leesara, why don't you get some sleep and you can share your knowledge in the...morning." he suggested. She smiled, slowly setting her head on his shoulder,  
  
"You're very warm..." she commented, yawning. For a second, panic took hold of him,  
  
"You aren't too warm, are you? it's not going to kill you, right? Do you need to move further from the thermal heater?"  
  
She shook her head, her every motion slow and deliberate,  
  
"No, it's just nearing sleep time," she said, " you are very warm..."  
  
He smiled as her eyes closed,  
  
"Sweet dreams," he said.  
  
~~~  
  
When Denez woke up she didn't know where she was. She looked around curiously and saw Lacour. Then she saw Terane sleeping with Cala in his arms, evidently, he hadn't been able to stay awake. She also saw Kitak with a strange girl who was wearing his jacket sleeping against his shoulder. Denez studied the girl, longish black hair, pale complexion and blue fingernails, she must have been of a race Denez wasn't familiar with...one that inhabited the Delta Quadrant. Then Denez noticed something alarming,  
  
"Kitak, she's not breathing," Denez whispered. The Klingon smiled, pointed teeth flashing,  
  
"Yes she is, just very slowly...she moves slowly when she's warm."  
  
Suddenly, like a horse surprised, Cala's head jerked up,  
  
"where are we?" she demanded. Denez frowned, remembering,  
  
"A ship...remember? Those aliens knocked you out? Remember that blue fungus stuff?" Denez questioned. Terane groaned as Cala sat up and opened a sleepy eye,  
  
"I fell asleep, didn't I?" he asked. Kitak nodded,  
  
"And fell over, but Cala didn't even notice. She slept like a baby the whole time," he whispered. Then Terane noticed the new person,  
  
"Oh Kitak, the others don't know her yet," he stated. Kitak nodded,  
  
"I will introduce you...her name is Leesara, she's been here for a while, and has agreed to share her knowledge with us." Denez nodded,  
  
"Good work...and it looks like she's a permanent attachement."  
  
He smiled down at the young woman in his arms,  
  
"Looks that way." It surprised Denez a little that he didn't see to mind, Klingons weren't a sentimental race. The girl woke up and, upon seeing him smiling at her, smiled too, her entire face seeming to light up.  
  
"Good morning," he said. She snuggled into his shoulder for a second, and then lifted her head again and smiled,  
  
"Good morning." she seemed almost to not even notice the other group members. Suddenly, Cala started chuckling,  
  
"Kitak, she's a Saurusine, isn't she?" the half-Gaian asked. The Klingon nodded,  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
Cala laughed again, louder, but not overly loud,  
  
"I hope you like her, you're stuck with her for life now."  
  
Kitak's eyes grew wide,  
  
"What?"  
  
"The Saurusine...well, as far as she's concerned, she owes you her life."  
  
Kitak looked back at Leesara, and couldn't help smiling,  
  
"Well, I guess that's all right...for now, anyway, since she seems to be alone, she could probably use some companionship."  
  
Leesara looked around at the others,  
  
"I know many things about this place, and I will tell you," she said. She focused on Cala,  
  
"Does it please you that I do so?" she asked. Cala smiled,  
  
"You do not need my approval, I am only half Gaian," she said. The Saurusine nodded,  
  
"yes, Kesondelang," she replied. Cala blushed, and Terane smiled,  
  
"What did you just call her?" he asked. She looked at Kitak, then at Terane,  
  
"Beautiful goddess."  
  
Terane smiled,  
  
"I like her." he commented. Cala blushed deeper and Denez smiled,  
  
"I'm glad you do, it looks like she's going to be our guide."  
  
Lacour's eyes opened and she sat up, yawning and stretching,  
  
"Hello all!" she said, smiling brightly. Denez smiled back,  
  
"good morning, Seizanna," she replied. Cala suddenly paled, shrinking back,  
  
"Oh the gods!" she cried. Terane immediately was on his feet and at Cala's side,  
  
"What is it?" he asked. She pointed at the alien who had just walked in. He was the same species as the one who had come in earlier, but much larger. His massive size dwarfed even Kitak, who was seven foot nine and almost three hundred pounds. The entire groups stood up and Cala grabbed Terane's arm protectively. Leesara whimpered frightenedly, and Kitak put his arms around her, whispering,  
  
"It's all right, I"ll protect you," he said, sounding much like a father comforting his child. Leesara relaxed a bit, but still watched the alien discomfortedly. The alien walked, actually sort of a glide, over to their group.  
  
"You're next," he said to them in his watery voice,  
  
"Follow me." He turned around, as if expecting blind compliance. Denez looked at Leesara, who nodded,  
  
"We must go," she said, sighing regrettfully, "if we don't, they will kill us."  
  
Denez nodded and walked behind the alien. She was followed by Lacour, who showed no fear, and then by Cala and Terane, the latter had decided to take upon himself the insurance of Cala's protection. Leesara hesitated,  
  
"Kitak...where we're going now...some of us may die," she whispered,  
  
"Possibly all of us. I've seen it happen before...I've been in there before...it scares me."  
  
He squeezed her shoulders encouragingly,  
  
"I will not let anything happen to you, I promise." His voice had a fatherly comfort in it. Leesara still didn't move and Kitak collected her into his arms,  
  
"Come one, we have to catch up with the others," he said. Because of his large size, he was able to move more quickly than the others, and soon caught up to them. He set Leesara down as though she were a fragile porcelain doll, and although she no longer stood frozen in fear, she clung to Kitak's arms, and he put it around her shoulders, the two of them taking up the rear of the group. they walked for a while, until they came upon a large room. He motioned for them to enter it. The sound of the door closing reverberated around the room, and hey heard a metallic clicking as the door was locked behind them. The sound hung in the air as silence filled the room. Suddenly, a whimpering sound pierced the air, and they turned to see Leesara crouching miserably on the floor, crying, hugging her knees to her chest.  
  
"I hate it here," she sobbed. Lacour came over to her and put a hand on her shoulder,  
  
"I don't know who you are, but obviously my Ops officer has taken a shine to you. That says something. You must be a brave girl if he's in the mind set to keep care of you, because Klingons tend to be hostile."  
  
Leesara looked at Lacour,  
  
"I'm not a girl, I'm twenty-two...and I come here again only for Kitak because my life is his."  
  
Lacour's eyebrows rose,  
  
"I don't think I understand..."  
  
Cala, though mostly still afraid, looked at Lacour,  
  
"He saved her from death by warming her because she's cold blooded and her people believe that if you save someone's life, that person's life belongs to you because if it hadn't been for you, the life would not be there."  
  
Leesara nodded,  
  
"I am here because of you," she said. He kissed her gently on the forehead,  
  
"You did not have to, I would have let you stay," he said. She shook her head,  
  
"No, I could not let you come here to die, with me, you have a chance." 


	4. A Reunion

Looking around at her family, she saw they were as frightened as she was. Dimano stood in the middle of the large group,  
  
"We must do something to get out of here," he insisted,  
  
"We can not stay in this room forever."  
  
She remained sitting where she was, putting her chin down on her knees,  
  
"Dimano, we've already looked for several hours, there is no way out." she said miserably. He shook his head, blue-green eyes flashing,  
  
"Ther MUST be a way out," he said. She closed her eyes, tears squeezing out and dripping forlornly down her pale cheeks. The boy went over to her, hugging her,  
  
"Don't worry, little sis, it'll be all right." he said. She sobbed silently,  
  
"Dimano, you're wrong, there is no way out. We will all die here."  
  
Suddenly, they heard a yelp and turned to look. Isana, their cousin, had accidently pushed open a door leading to another room and fallen in. As Dimano examined the door, he realized why they hadn't been able to tell it was a door. The edge fit the opening perfectly, and the door was thick enough it wouldn't make a sound when they pounded on it lightly.  
  
"What's in there, Isana?" he asked. No answer. He looked inside to ask her and gasped, shutting the door quickly,  
  
"Don't go in that room," he said. Dimano leaned against another wall, which also popped open, but he didn't fall in,  
  
"Somebody give me your shoe," he said. The girl's other cousin, Inasa, took her shoe off and handed it to him.  
  
"Here," she said, still curious where her twin sister was. He took it from her, ignoring the evident curiosity, and tossed it in. They all heard a resounding thump as it hit the ground. Dimano looked in and motioned the others to follow him as he jumped in.  
  
"It's safe," he said, grabbing the girl's hadnd to help her down,  
  
"Stay near me, Leesara," he told her. She nodded and moved just behind him as the other group members jumped into the room.  
  
~~~~  
  
Leesara looked around,  
  
"Eventually we ran out of shoes, and, because of regulations in our religion, people started volunteering. In the end it was just me and Dimano left. Dimano had refused to let me volunteer, as he did now. He opened the door and stuck his arm in. His arm got sliced off, but eventually we made it out. The Maze if dangerous. I know from experience."  
  
Kitak looked at her, his usually tough Klingon gaze softening visably,  
  
"were is your brother now?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"The Great Beyond," she answered, "With the rest f my family. His arm bled until he could no longer walk and got infected. He died within a week."  
  
She tried to hide her sorrow, bt was unsuccessful,  
  
"Anyway, this probably isn't the same room, but I know for a fact the traps don't change and aren't repeated. If I find one I'm familiar with I can lead you through without casualties."  
  
Denez nodded,  
  
"All right, everyone take your shoes off," she looked at Leesara,  
  
"I know there are only four walls, but the first couple of doors, I'd like to test, just in case you remember incorrectly."  
  
Leesara nodded,  
  
"I'd help, but, like I said, I don't have any shoes."  
  
Denez nodded, and removed her shoes also, handing them to Leesara,  
  
"Go ahead." Leesara pushed against the wall, Kitak close behind her. As the door creaked open, Kitak was on his guard. When it opened suddenly Leesara almost fell in, but Kitak caught her, pulling her back into the room She smiled at him "This is the second time you saved my life," she said, her fluid honey-like voice soft. He smiled,  
  
"I'm glad someone is, I'd hate for you to die."  
  
Leesara blushed, and tossed one of Denez's shoes in. As she looked through the door, it was abruptly burnt to nothingness. Leesara's eyes grew wide as she shuddered involuntarily,  
  
"Thank you again, Kitak," she said,  
  
"I remember this room...and if my memory serves me.." she pushed up against another wall and threw Denez's other shoe in,  
  
"This should be a safe one." She peeked in and saw the shoe, completely undamaged, lying in the middle of the floor,  
  
"And I'm right," she said, hopping down into the room. Kitak followed her and helped Denez and Lacour jump down into the room. Terane then jumped down and put his arms around Cala's waist, helping her down. Kitak wondered why Terane had insisted on helping Cala when he was already down there, but didn't question. Suddenly, they heard shouting and another door burst open as two men and a younger woman burst into the room. One of the men leaned against the door to keep it closed, although there was no evidence of anyone trying to break through. Cala's eyes grew wide as she screamed,  
  
"Oh the Prophets!" she said. The other man's head jerked away from his companions and he too yelled when he saw her,  
  
"I know that voice!" he said, looking around,  
  
"Aimee!" Tears came to his eyes as Cala threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He kissed the top of her head, tears falling now,  
  
"Aimee, I was so afraid you hadn't left...that you had blown up with the Cardassian ship..."  
  
Cala sobbed harder,  
  
"I thought..you..were..dead.." she said between sniffles. The others just watched, the young woman glancing around nervoulsy,  
  
"Would someone like to explain what's going on?" she asked.  
  
Leesara nodded,  
  
"We're in The Maze," she said. The other also nodded,  
  
"I know THAT but why is David crying over that doctor?"  
  
Terane smiled,  
  
"D! you're still alive!" he greeted the man with much enthusiasm. David smiled,  
  
"Scott! Hey!" he looked over at Cala,  
  
"Aimee, you know my cousin Scott?" he asked. She nodded, her cheek still tearstained,  
  
"He's been very nice to me, although I can't say I've done the same."  
  
David smiled,  
  
"I'm so glad you're all right, Sunshine," he said, then he motioned to his companions,  
  
"The blonde-haired Aussie is Allen Blake and the young Andorian is Anala. Both arrived here in circumstances relatively similar to mine."  
  
Anala nodded in greeting and Allen flashed a brilliant smile their way,  
  
"G'day," he said, bowing gracefully. His accent confirmed David's mentioning of Australian descent,  
  
"I'll b'glad ta help ya through, mates."  
  
David laughed, his arms still around Cala,  
  
"He's quite the comedian," he said. Denez smiled,  
  
"I think we could use some cheering up," she said proferring a hand for the Aussie to shake,  
  
"Commander Julia Denez of the USS Venturer, and this is my crew." she motioned to the others,  
  
"Or at least, part of my crew, My Chief Science officer, Lieutenant Aimee Cala, my Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Seizanna Lacour, my Head of Operations Lieutenant Commander Kitak, and my Chief Navigator, Ensign Scott Terane."  
  
Lacour smiled,  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Morrel, Lieutenant Cala has told us much about you."  
  
He smiled,  
  
"All good things, I hope." Cala laughed,  
  
"As far as I know there aren't any bad things to tell."  
  
Leesara smiled,  
  
"And now you will spend forever together! Her life belongs to you." she said brightly. David smiled,  
  
"Ah, a Saurusine, hello," he said. She smiled shyly, and clung to Kitak's arm,  
  
"I'm Leesara," she said, her honey-sweet voice soft as the wind. David kissed the top of Cala's head again,  
  
"It's nice to meet all of you," he said. Allen nodded in agreement,  
  
"Certainly," he then looked inquisitively at Leesara,  
  
"Haven't I seen you before? In the main room?"  
  
She nodded,  
  
"I made it through once and now I'm back."  
  
Allen smiled,  
  
"Great, we've got a guide," he said. Leesara nodded, going to another wall,  
  
"Let's see..this would be the...acid..." she slowed down, looking solemn,  
  
"Where Inasa died." Kitak put a supportive arm around her,  
  
"Maybe we should stop and rest," he suggested. Denez nodded,  
  
"Good idea, Ensign Terane, do you still have the thermal heater?"  
  
Terane nodded and patted the pocket he had made inside his jacket,  
  
"Yep, they didn't take it," he said, pulling it out. Denez smiled,  
  
"At least that much," she said, taking it from him and setting it in the middle of the room. After she had turned it on, she sat down some distance from the heater. Kitak led Leesara over and sat down next to Denez. Leesara set her head on Kitak's shoulder and stared at the heater. Terane walked over to David and Cala, and hugged them since they were still holding each other. Lacour sat down on the other side of Denez, and Allen sat next to her. Anala sat across from the commander and Terane moved over next to Kitak and Leesara. David carried Cala over next to Anala and sat with her in his lap,  
  
"Storytime is it?" he asked. Denez nodded,  
  
"I promised Cala I'd tell her my story," she answered, "and here it goes.." 


End file.
